Cardinals’ Dockett carted off with knee injury

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) Darnell Dockett, among the most durable players in the NFL over the past decade, was carted off the field with an injured right knee after the Arizona Cardinals began their final week of training camp Monday.

The 6-foot-4, 290-pound defensive tackle was injured in an 11-on-11 drill. He limped away, then had to be helped onto the cart. He lay on his back as the cart carried him off the field at University of Phoenix Stadium. An MRI was scheduled.

”He’s a great player, a guy we count on day in and day out to be a leader and take us where we want to go,” defensive end Calais Campbell said. ”I’m not sure how serious it is. Hopefully it won’t be too serious and hopefully he comes back soon, but it’s always a scary moment when they bring the cart out.”

In his 11th NFL season, all with the Cardinals, Dockett has missed only two games. He has started 156 of the 158 in which he appeared.

”I played against him for three of those years when I was in Seattle,” tight end John Carlson said. ”He’s a beast.”

Dockett – a three-time Pro Bowl player and four-time Arizona team captain – played in his first 104 games before a shoulder injury sidelined him for one contest in 2010. He missed another game in 2012 with a hamstring injury.

He has spent his entire career with Arizona. He and Larry Fitzgerald are the longest-tenured players on the squad.

Earlier Monday, Dockett and the rest of Arizona’s first-team defensive front were criticized by coach Bruce Arians for mental errors in the team’s 30-28 preseason loss at Minnesota on Saturday night.

”Some veteran guys were in the wrong gaps,” he said. ”It’s inexcusable to play 10 plays and have three or four mental errors.”

The first-team offense escaped criticism, and Arians had special praise for Ted Larsen, who was filling in for injured starting center Lyle Sendlein.

Larsen has 13 career starts at left guard, four at right guard and 11 at center.

”To see him play center so well is really pleasing, to know that he added quality depth,” Arians said. ”When Lyle comes back, there’s a real good chance he (Larsen) will be our starting left guard.”

Sendlein could be back on Wednesday, and Larsen would start ahead of Jonathan Cooper, the first-round draft choice who has been slowed by injuries in camp as he works his way back after missing all of his rookie season with a broken leg a year ago.

Cooper sat out Saturday night’s game and missed practice on Monday with a toe injury.

Arians said he counted about 70 mental errors in the game, only one by the first-team offense. The defense, though, was another matter.

”For the little bit we played (the starters on defense), I was not pleased with our production up front,” the coach said. ”We had chances to get sacks, didn’t get the guy down, let the QB out and run. We’ve got to start making those plays.”

Jay Feely is in a tough fight to retain his kicking job against rookie Chandler Catanzaro. Catanzaro kicked in the preseason opener, going 3 for 3 on field goals and booming soaring, deep kickoffs. Feely, who altered his technique to add distance to his kickoffs, didn’t get to try a field goal Saturday night. His kickoffs were a mix of pretty good to not so good.

”Our coverage units were terrible,” Arians said, ”but he has extended his kickoffs a little bit with the new technique he’s using.”

At 38, Feely is 15 years older than Catanzaro, an undrafted rookie out of Clemson.

Arians said the kickers may split duties when the team plays Cincinnati on Sunday night.

NOTES: Arians said the performance of quarterback Ryan Lindley was ”up and down.” Lindley is competing with rookie Logan Thomas to be the No. 3 quarterback. … Arians said the starters will play no more than one half against the Bengals. … ILB Kevin Minter remains out with a pectoral muscle injury.